March 16, 2007

March Minutes:
Online Learning Links

Online courses - Tonya
Synch ---> Asynch

Benefits of online learning

• levels the playing field
• everyone must participate
• provides time to think / reflect / actually learn!

Hazards of online learning

• time management -- students put off until the last minute
  - a pacing guide is a GOOD idea!
• technology issues
  - sometimes the tool gets in the way of the content

Blended or hybrid classes:

• online autopsy
• English class - online discussion for literature
• blogs / wikis in addition to f2f
• class projects with students from other schools / states / countries
• virtual tours

• Do our students have the capability to participate from home?
  • this varies based on the community
  • can offer after-school access to computers

Tools for Online Learning
For synch:

• polycam
• Tandberg
• marratech
• ichat / AIM
• iVisit
• skype

Course Management Software:

• Bkackboard
• Moodle
• Zanzibar
• novelle
• File exchange
• disc board
  To do:
• Chat / virtual classroom
• Content delivery
• Grades
• Testing / survey
• Enrolling students
• Controlling access

Other Tools:

• Wiki
• Blog
• Discussion groups
• Podcasts
• Vodcasts
• Screen-capture movies
• email
• Web pages
• Telephone / fax

Online interactive tools:

• Zoho - John
  • www.zoho.com
  • benefits:
    • free / beta
    • platform independent
    • all internet-based
    • can utilize existing documents
    • email of successful import
    • usefullness limited only by time and creativity
  • collaboration
    • docs can be published
    • read / write access is decided by author
    • no software to install, maintain or license
  • ZOHO writer:
    • Auto - save
    • Larned AUP
    • Buttons - similar to MS Word
    • can insert HTML
    • can use anchors
    • history - can review all changes
    • can share document by entering email addresses (John's school uses Gaggle for student email)
    • print preview
    • publish to blog
    • import / export
  >> >>>
  • ZOHO Sheet:
    • spreadsheet just like Excel
  >>>
  • ZOHO Show
    • like PowerPoint
    • more structured / less choices
    • requires patience!
  >>>
  • ZOHO Creator
    • database
    • can import from spreadsheet
    • can share to collect data
  >>>
  • ZOHO challenge - quiz creator
  • ZOHO polls
  • More utilities continue to be added
  >>
• Google Pages - Judy
  • www.pages.google.com
  • must have gmail account
  • web-design tool - free!
  • simple interface
  • great for kids!
  • can share URL with grandma :-)
  • can have 5 sites per email address
• Google Shared Apps
  • Educators - can administer tools for students
    • www.google.com/educators/p_apps.html
    • can assign email accounts specifically for Google Apps
    • free!
    • classroom activity crib sheets
    • classroom posters - www.google.com/educators/posters.html
    • allows API's
• Webhuddle - similar to Maratech but free (no video)
  • www.webhuddle.com
  • free
  • open source - can download and run from our own server
  • can be recorded
• Comics Lab
  http://www.professorgarfield.org/ReadingRing/Strips/strips.html
• WikiHow
  http://www.wikihow.com
• Dialectize
  http://www.rinkworks.com/dialect
• Students take on the persona of the characters in Shakespear and write a blog as if they were that person.
  http://shakespeare.weblog.com
• Switcheroozoo
  http://switcheroozoo.com
• Sen Teacher
  http://senteacher.org

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